The San Francisco 49ers are no strangers to a quarterback carousel, and it looks like they have another on their hands with youngsters Brock Purdy and Trey Lance. How we got to this point was a ride onto itself, but it's definitely a situation the 49ers brass wasn't expecting to have going into training camp this coming summer.
So who will head coach Kyle Shanahan choose to start for the team? Of course, it's way too early to tell, but according to Matthew Berry of NBC Sports, there's reason to believe one of the choices has a decided advantage.
Things could get interesting for the 49ers QB room. #FTTB pic.twitter.com/jV8il1Bs7o
— NBC Sports EDGE Football (@NBCSEdgeFB) February 2, 2023
With this logic, Berry has a point. San Francisco gave up two first-round picks and a third-rounder to the Miami Dolphins, for the opportunity to pick Lance third overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. In the two seasons afterwards, there hasn't been much sight of Lance on the football field. He played in a couple of games during 2021, sitting behind Jimmy Garoppolo, and suffered a season-ending ankle injury early in 2022.
As for Purdy, he was the absolute last pick of the 2022 draft, and wasn't expected to play at all. Injuries to Lance and Garoppolo pressed him into action, and all he did was lead the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles. It was there when Purdy injured the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his throwing elbow, and the update says he's expected to be sidelined for six months.
Where Purdy and Lance were chosen in their respective drafts couldn't be any more on opposite ends, but they will compete for the starting job if everything works out on Purdy's end. Given the assets traded to get Lance, it's logical to see why Berry feels the way he does.
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